Industrialization in America

In the 17th Century there was a high level of competition for land and power between the European countries because the more land a country colonized the more money it could make off of that land. Britain colonized America in order to provide themselves with raw materials and in effect made agriculture dominant in America’s economy rather than industry. Without industry, the colonists were forced to import the majority of their goods from Britain instead of from domestic production (Reef 1). After the American Revolution, America was independent from Britain both politically and economically and Americans began to feel the pressure to industrialize in order to keep up with the demands of Americans and to compete with Britain (Peskin 1; Reef 3). The Industrial Revolution had already taken root in Great Britain in the mid-18th century when they began a period of innovation in technology that impacted their economy forever (Ochoa 1). New technological advancements were being made rapidly in Britain, and before long the transformation from agriculture to industry prompted a new and improved textile industry to emerge. It was inevitable that this movement of manufacturing would be brought overseas to America and it would soon see the greatest economical transformation in its history (Reef 2).

The Industrial Revolution began in America, and although it was delayed in comparison with other countries, the demand for manufacturing was very high after the American Revolution (Peskin 1). At the time a typical American was either a farmer living in the rural areas or a tradesperson living in cities. As industrialization increased, the tradespeople’s professions became obsolete because production began to shift from worker’s homes to factori...

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...o become independent from their families and make a living for themselves (Reef 5). In the beginning of the women’s careers at the Lowell factories, they were delighted to have their own jobs and be able to provide for themselves (“The Labor Movement” 3). However, the long hours and low wages eventually caused most women to resent the mills. The strict rules also became an issue with the women since they came to the factories to be independent and felt like they were controlled by their employers (“The Labor Movement 4). The working conditions were not easy and factory workers would generally work for eleven to thirteen and a half hours a day. Regardless of how hard the women toiled away all day, they still earned $1.75 an hour while male employees earned $5.00. Women became angry about the inequality and began to call for recognition of their rights (Ochoa 3).